A 21-year-old soldier based at Fort Moore, Georgia has died from injuries sustained during a training exercise, Army officials announced Monday.
Pfc. Cesar Gonzalez, an infantryman assigned to Alpha Company, 2nd Battalion, 58th Infantry Regiment, 198th Infantry Brigade, suffered a “medical emergency” during an on-post training exercise on Oct. 20, according to a statement from the Army. Gonzalez passed away at the hospital as medics attempted to provide treatment. Officials are investigating the exact cause of his death.
“The Wolfpack family is devastated by the unfortunate and untimely passing of Private First Class Gonzalez, an outstanding soldier in our organization,” Capt. Stephanie Snyder, his company commander, said in a statement. “This heartbreaking loss has affected every person in the company.”
The Chicago native began his Army career at Fort Jackson, South Carolina in May, as a trainee in the Future Soldier Preparatory Course. Gonzalez transferred to Fort Moore in June to start the Infantry One Station Unit Training (OSUT).
Gonzalez joined the Army to “challenge himself and to support his family,” he wrote in his in-processing form. He was only weeks away from graduating at the time of his passing, Army officials said.
Gonzalez is the second Fort Moore soldier to die on post this year. Pfc. Jacob Atchison, a 19-year-old recruit from Pella, Iowa, passed away in July during training and the investigation into his death is ongoing. Atchison, like Gonzalez, died shortly before his scheduled graduation.
Editor’s note: This article was updated at 11:35 a.m. EDT on Oct. 25, 2023, to note that Pfc. Jacob Atchison’s death remains under investigation.
Jaime Moore-Carrillo is an editorial fellow for Military Times and Defense News. A Boston native, Jaime graduated with degrees in international affairs, history, and Arabic from Georgetown University, where he served as a senior editor for the school's student-run paper, The Hoya.
